An arrest has been made in the Drake Smith Lane burglary.
On Wednesday, January 7, 2026, Rye PD arrested 26 year old Joao Caetano De Sa of Danbury, Connecticut for committing a burglary on January 1, 2026, at a residence on Drake Smith Lane. During the course of the burglary, Rye authorities say Caetano caused significant damage to the residence while attempting to steal the family’s BMW from the garage and subsequently stole an Audi Q7 from the driveway. According to authorities, Caetano de Sá has no ties to the burglarized home or to the City of Rye.
On January 2, 2026, at 1:44am, patrol units from the Bernards Township Police Department in New Jersey responded to Verizon Headquarters located in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, on a report of an unwanted person. Units were advised that a male in a dark-colored, mid-sized SUV, drove through the gate after providing an invalid access badge. Officers discovered the individual, Joao G. Caetano De Sa, on the third floor of the sky bridge parking deck attached to the Verizon building and placed him under arrest. Bernards Township PD contacted the Rye Police Department and advised Caetano De Sa was in possession of an Audi Q7 registered to a residence on Drake Smith Lane.
Both agencies coordinated their investigations and charges were filed by both departments. Caetano De Sa waived extradition and was picked up this morning at the Morris County Correctional Facility and transported to Rye Police headquarters where he was processed on charges of Burglary 2nd degree, a Class C Felony, Grand Larceny 3rd degree, a Class D Felony, and Criminal Mischief 2nd degree, a Class D Felony. Caetano De Sa was arraigned in Rye City Court and bail was set at $40,000 cash. Caetano De Sa was transported to the Westchester County Correctional Facility located in Valhalla, New York. Rye PD reminds you that booking charges are merely accusations and the defendant(s) are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
